Polyimides, in particular polyetherimides (PEI) are amorphous, transparent, high performance polymers having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of greater than 180° C. Polyetherimides further have high strength, toughness, heat resistance, and modulus, and broad chemical resistance, and so are widely used in industries as diverse as automotive, telecommunication, aerospace, electrical/electronics, transportation, and healthcare. Polyetherimides have shown versatility in various manufacturing processes, proving amenable to techniques including injection molding, extrusion, and thermoforming, to prepare various articles.
Thermoplastic polymers such as polyetherimides (PEI) are commonly used as films as well as protective layers due to their excellent mechanical, dielectric, and high heat properties. These polymers are also used commonly as a tie layer in cookware. Currently, different methods are used to coat materials with these high performance polymers. For example, melt processes can be employed, where the articles are coated with molten polymer and later cooled. Melt processes disadvantageously involve significant capital investments and also provide poor wetting of the polymer melt to the article, producing voids in the surface of the coated article. An organic solvent based coating process is commonly used in the industry to form films and to make coatings. Disadvantages of this organic solvent based coating process are the release of volatile organic compounds, as well as high viscosity of the polymer solution.
There is an unmet need for a facile method to prepare water-dispersed formulations, which have lower volatile organic compound (VOC) emission, as well as reduced viscosity.